A film update, a good public event, and a PBS profile

FILM UPDATE

Unfortunately, there is little to report on the subject of the film of Neither Wolf nor Dog, as I know as little about it as you do. Like a child that has left home, it calls in occasionally with sketchy updates, but mostly is involved of a life of its own. And, like a parent, I have to let it go, hoping that it is making wise life decisions and will find a way to do some good in the world. Stay tuned; any information I get I’ll pass on to all of you.

A WONDERFUL SPEAKING EVENT AND A NEW FRIEND AND, PERHAPS, PARTNER
Last month I had the fascinating and gratifying experience of speaking before several groups of about a thousand people each at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Minneapolis. The purpose was to address the effort to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day.

Big groups are fun in a strange way. You get a powerful sense of the audience because there is so much human energy out there either leaning toward you, pulling away from you, or sitting indifferently and politely in your presence, waiting for you to finish. These presentations went well because I had two extraordinarily concerned audiences and I was on my game. There is nothing worse for a speaker than to misfire in front of a large audience, because you feel the space between you and them, and, once you feel them withdrawing, there is precious little you can do to pull them back. You keep seeing the image of Rodney Dangerfield opening his hands to his audience and saying, “Come on, help me out. I’m dying up here.” That did not happen this time.

What did happen — and it was most amazing — was an unexpected connection in an afternoon session with the singer, Larry Long. If you don’t know him, you should look him up. He was a long-time friend of Pete Seeger and follows in Pete’s tradition —a troubadour with a strong but gentle sense of mission. He brings his songs to children, to the elderly, to rallies, to protests, to every place where people have a common yearning or gather in service of a common mission. He is a voice for the voiceless and has a strong and caring heart.

What happened was a rare and unexpected moment of chemistry. He and I both care deeply about our audiences, and there was an instant affinity as we heard each other perform — him with his singing and conversation, and me with my reading. We alternated taking the stage, focusing on our experiences working with and in Native communities. There is a certain humility about that task that you either have or you don’t have. It has to do with your basic character and the shape and needs of your own ego. Both he and I are watchers and chroniclers and have no need to have the seat at the head of the table. In fact, we are both more comfortable doing the serving than being the one who is served. If the audience senses that you are more interested in reaching out to them than you are in having the spotlight on yourself, some real electricity can happen.

For Larry and I, this electricity happened. We met later to discuss doing more engagements together. I think it is going to happen.

Perhaps I will ask you to suggest venues in a future post.

Again, stay tuned.

PBS PROFILE
One thing for which you don’t have to stay tuned, but can tune in right now, is the PBS profile that was done on me for their weekly program on Religion and Ethics. It featured two of the finest people I know, Jackie and Kirk Crowshoe, and addressed my efforts to serve as an ally to the Native people through my writing.

I love it when I don’t get thrust out in front as an interpreter of Native issues but can use my platform to give good Native people a chance to speak for themselves. That has always been my goal, whether doing oral history, writing books, or giving public presentations. One of the most successful was the time I shared the stage with Ray and Martin Sensmeier at Gustavus Adolphus College several years ago. Our presentation is available here . But this piece on Religion and Ethics was special in its own way. If any non-Native person wants to see the best of the Native heart revealed, they should look in the eyes and listen to the words of Kirk and Jackie. In them is the embodiment of both what we as a culture have done and what we as a culture yet can be. I was honored to be associated with them for those few minutes.

Well, that’s it for now. Sorry for the long post. We just hadn’t connected for awhile. I’ve got a few more thoughts and ideas, but they’ll have to wait. We’ll be in touch soon.

10 thoughts on A film update, a good public event, and a PBS profile

You never have to apologize about a long post — it’s never too long as far as I’m concerned. You’re one of those writers who can take me anywhere and have something worthwhile to say about it…. So, write on!

Thanks for sharing the NPR piece–very well done. We just purchased Views from the Reservation by John Willis and found your essay there to be wonderful. Thank you for bringing the Native American world view to so many!

John is a fine man and a good friend, and one non-Native who knows that his place in the Native community is to serve quietly. He does wonderful work with his “Exposures” program that brings young people from Pine Ridge together with young people from such diverse settings as Vermont, Navajo country, and the Bronx. I consider him a mentor and a role model and would encourage anyone who is interested in Native life to seek out his comprehensive book of photographs and essays, Views from the Reservation. And if you have children or young friends who are trying to make decisions about college, you should encourage them to look into Marlboro College where John teaches. It is a unique educational institution offering a unique educational experience. I would happily go there myself if I were a young person trying to decide where to spend my college years.

I was one of the people who experienced that afternoon at St. Joan of Arc Church. It was an experience that touched me deeply in ways that I can’t adequately express. My heart and soul were both troubled and healed in a way that has brought me back often to ponder what happened in those moments. You and Larry Long are definitely a amazing duo who I hope will come together again. I’ll make every effort to be there.

I first learned of you and your books on the PBS show. I don’t always remember to turn it on but it sometimes reaches into out-of-the-way places and I like to watch it just in case. I was rewarded with your story this time and now have all three of your books and am nearly finished with Neither Wolf Nor Dog. I am enjoying it immensely and so pleased to have “discovered” you. Looking forward to the movie here too.

One glance at your photo, Ken, tells me that you embody a ‘heart of gold’ and a soul that knows compassion at a profound level. I was compelled to read this post.

There are so many who have been injured and are being injured still. You’re inspiring a ‘movement’ to acknowledge the ‘sins of our forefathers’ as well as the injustices occurring in our midst. Even though we may not be the perpetrators of these injustices, our silence makes us, at some level, complicit.

I have just finished reading NWND and found it profoundly sad and inspiring as well. Thank you. Kent. I look forward to this movie and to learning and understanding more about our Indian brothers and sisters. They have so much to teach me.